The present invention relates to absorbent articles such as sanitary napkins, panty liners, adult incontinence devices, bandages, and the like. Still more particularly, the present invention concerns absorbent articles such as sanitary napkins and the like that have adhesive regions for securement to a wearer""s undergarments.
All manner and variety of absorbent articles configured for the absorption of body fluids such as blood, menses, urine, and feces are, of course, well known. Absorbent articles are typically comprised of a number of layers of material. These generally include, from top to bottom, a liquid pervious layer, an absorbent layer, and a liquid impervious layer. Additional layers may also be interposed between any of these layers. Such additional layers may serve various different purposes.
Absorbent articles, in particular absorbent articles such as feminine hygiene articles (sanitary napkins, panty liners, etc.) which are intended to be worn in conjunction with a garment, are frequently provided with an adhesive securement system to maintain proper positioning of the absorbent article under in-use conditions.
While such adhesive systems have achieved a level of success, the expansive regions of adhesive coatings tend to occlude pores and permeable surfaces in breathable substrates. Other less-expansive adhesive systems using intermittent regions of adhesive typically compromise adhesion for the sake of breathability or, conversely, compromise breathability for adhesion.
An absorbent article, such as a diaper, a sanitary napkin, a panty liner, an adult incontinence device, a bandage, or the like is provided which has: (a) a liquid pervious topsheet defining a body-facing side of the absorbent article; (b) a liquid impervious backsheet joined to the topsheet and defining a garment-facing side of the absorbent article; (c) an absorbent layer being positioned between the topsheet and the backsheet; and (d) an adhesive system located on the backsheet. The adhesive system comprises a plurality of three-dimensional protrusions which are deformable into a substantially two-dimensional configuration and an interconnected network of adhesive surrounding the protrusions which is protected from inadvertent contact with external surfaces until the three-dimensional protrusions are deformed into a substantially two-dimensional configuration. The absorbent article preferably includes a plurality of flaps which may themselves preferably include an adhesive system, and the backsheet of the absorbent article is preferably breathable.